Expat wanderer

Kuwait Blocks YouTube?????

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Communication has issued a memo to all internet service providers in Kuwait asking them to block YouTube access. The popular video website came under fire from the ministry due to content considered offensive to Muslims, a source within the industry told Kuwait Times. The Ministry pointed to content including a video of a man signing verses from the Holy Quran while playing the oud and another video showing caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

A Fasttelco source confirmed receipt of the memo. “It’s supposed to be blocked right now. But due to technical preparations the blocking may take until tomorrow [Monday],” said the source. The site was still accessible yesterday evening. The Ministry of Communication regularly issues memos to ISPs asking them to block certain websites, including those containing pornographic photos or ones like Skype that can be used to make international phone calls over the Internet.

YouTube is widely used in Kuwait. A search of the word ‘Kuwait’ turned up 59,000 videos, including everything from videos of car crashes on Fahaheel Expressway and Jessica Simpson’s concert for US troops in Kuwait to protests in front of Abdullah Al-Salem hall in the run up to the 2006 parliamentary elections.

This is another Don Quixotic attempt by Ministry of Miscommunication to fight against the Tide of Internet Age .
I think the idea is to block an avenue for free expression as the YouTube was used in the last national assembly election to settle scores between the competing sides as well as the fights that raged on the blogs.
i wonder if there is an annual world freemdom of the internet survey so we can see the level of each country .

Also the minster of communication has signed a petition calling indirectly for unconstitutional dissolvement of parliament . What a genius , lets hope we see the back of this man before too long and hopefully the cancellation of this ministry which we really dont need in this age of fast inexpensive open comnuincation

One of the best things the Americans did in Iraq after entering Baghdad was to abolish the ministry of information which led to free press regardless of whether we like it or not.

Thats is really sad.. and pathetic! I dont know how their minds operate when passing such laws/decisions! They just took the negative side and ignored all the rest! Its a shame! Backward thinking! God knows whats next!!!

Oh Daggero, didn’t you just love the Baghdadi Minister of Information? Kept insisting they were winning, even as the city was overtaken? It was black comedy. I hope this order is as effective as that blocking the VOIP phones that keep us in touch with our families.

Q8Gypsy – oh! That would be good news indeed! Did someone overturn the order or was the order rescinded (called back by the person who originally made the decision?) Thank you for the good news!

Ansam – So far mine is still working!

Bashar – you were much more eloquent than I. I was just thinking “how can this be??”